This is the seventh in a series of interviews with Korea's leading models. ― ED.

Ryu Wan-kyu /Courtesy of EsteemENT

By Kim Jae-heun

Everyone runs into a once-in-a-lifetime chance, and for Korean fashion model Ryu Wan-kyu, it was when he shot the 2015 Fall/Winter global campaign for Chinese luxury label Shanghai Tang last March. The ad was released in July and it instantly grabbed the attention of international modeling scout Wilson Brandon, who connected Ryu to sign a contract with DNA Model Management ― one of the world's top three agencies based in New York.

"I did not expect anything like that to happen," said Ryu during an interview with The Korea Times. "Brandon is also manager of my good friend and model Na Dae-hyuck and I guess he reached my Instagram through Na because Na modeled for Shanghai Tang too.

"Usually, a model has to meet an agency face-to-face before they sign a contract, but Brandon just video called me and sent me the contract as soon as he hung up. Then, I flew to New York in April. I was lucky."

In the first season, Italian fashion company Versace casted Ryu exclusively for Milan Fashion Week in June, and he was the only Asian to make the audition. Ryu was excited ― and at the same time, nervous ― but he remembers clearly designer Donatella Versace calling him "sexy Asian."

Ryu's miracle continued as he walked the runway for the collaboration project "H&M x Balmain" in New York City that same season. The following season, Ryu swept the European catwalks, appearing on a total 12 runways _ and he could have walked more had he not missed 14 show casting meetings in London because of visa issues.

"This time, I walked French shows the most, which include Maison Margiela, Thom Browne, Balmain and White Mountaineering. In Milan I participated in four runways for popular brands, such as Ralph Lauren Purple Label, Brioni and DSquared2. I am the first Korean to walk the most of the shows," Ryu said.

"Amongst all, Balmain and Ralph Lauren shows stay strong in my mind. I walked the Balmain runway with Sean O'Pry and I told him that I am a big fan of him. He said he was happy to see me too and asked my name after taking a picture together."

However, his modeling career didn't start so promisingly. Standing 189 centimeters tall (6 feet 2 inches), Ryu has always been told to try modeling by acquaintances. In 2013, he applied for a modeling academy at EsteemENT in Korea and passed the audition to join "New Face Model." But Ryu recalled being chubby and unprepared then, and the agency barely gave him any work. The modeling talent knew he did not fit in there.

He moved to another model agency called Curmas, which seeks male models with strong virile beauty rather than a pretty face. The company welcomed Ryu and gave him a job that day. This time, the small agency had limits in fostering Ryu into a top model and although he participated in sizable shows at Seoul Fashion Week, it wasn't enough to satisfy him.

Curmas set Ryu up with an audition with the Hong Kong agency and the Korean model was awarded the Shanghai Tang catwalk, which led to shooting a look-book and shop catalog for the Chinese brand and eventually a global campaign. It was the first time he earned enough money to make a living by modeling.

"I made a good start abroad and the best part is that my parents are happy," Ryu said. "They've always been worrying about my future that I made very little money modeling in Korea. Now, they trust me and I am happy. Also people are starting to look at me as a real model after participating on many European stages."

Ryu recently received an official working holiday visa for New York. He is planning to stay a minimum of two years in the United States, hoping to become a model like 38-year-old Chun Jino.

"People think my job has a short life, but I don't," Ryu said. "Old models retire because they did not take good care of themselves. I don't think modeling has an age limit. Also there are thousands of young models but not many middle-age images, who are often more commercial."